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But the OP should compare because sometimes (not often? ) multicity can be a bargain. So much depends on the tariff and the airlines. Even inter-line multicity are sometimes good.
How would open jaw and a separate LCC ticket be more flexible? You'd still want to ticket in advance to get a good price, would you not?
How would open jaw and a separate LCC ticket be more flexible? You'd still want to ticket in advance to get a good price, would you not?
Not necessarily. Those European LCCs have prices that are incredibly low, and you don't have to book weeks in advice to get those good deals. What you do have to watch for, though, are various add-on fees (such as the cost of checking luggage or printing out a boarding pass at the airport instead of at home/hotel). Those can jack the ticket price way up. Also, the LCCS can fly out of inconvenient airports.
Once the OP has decided what his third city is going to be, he'll be in a position to do some comparison shopping. But until he's decided for certain where he wants to go he can't put a route together, which means he can't start his bargain hunting and check on the various alternative (including a true multicity ticket versus just an international open jaw).
Edited to add: I just did a Skyscanner search, and am seeing prices as low as $60 for one-way flights from AMS-MUC (on Lufthansa and on Eurowings), and around $200 for BRU-MUC (on Lufthansa). The OP can also get from Bruge to Munich via train (the route is Bruge to Brussels Nord, change trains and head to Frankfort, then change in Frankfort for Munich) but this eats up most of a day.
So I suggest that if the OP decides his choice of destinations is Amsterdam, Bruge, and Munich, that he do several multicity searches: IAD-AMS, AMS-MUC, MUC-IAD (and visa-versa), IAD-AMS, BRU-MUC, MUC-IAD (and visa versa), and compare the cost of those results to the option of an open jaw flight IAD-AMS, MUC-IAD (and visa versa) plus using either a one-way flight from either AMS or BRU to MUC (or visa versa) or taking the train to bridge that BRU-MUC segment to see what option works out cheapest. Beat those search engines like a rented mule, OP!
I always find working out the best/cheapest routings between destinations the hardest part of international travel.
So I suggest that if the OP decides his choice of destinations is Amsterdam, Bruge, and Munich, that he do several multicity searches: IAD-AMS, AMS-MUC, MUC-IAD (and visa-versa), IAD-AMS, BRU-MUC, MUC-IAD (and visa versa), and compare the cost of those results to the option of an open jaw flight IAD-AMS, MUC-IAD (and visa versa) plus using either a one-way flight from either AMS or BRU to MUC (or visa versa) or taking the train to bridge that BRU-MUC segment to see what option works out cheapest. Beat those search engines like a rented mule, OP!
I always find working out the best/cheapest routings between destinations the hardest part of international travel.
I agree-one needs to do homework, and hope the best option, which may not be cheapest (I'd pay extra to avoid a long layover, for example) is bookable.
Once the OP has decided what his third city is going to be, he'll be in a position to do some comparison shopping. But until he's decided for certain where he wants to go he can't put a route together, which means he can't start his bargain hunting and check on the various alternative (including a true multicity ticket versus just an international open jaw).
After talking to my German neighbor, I've decided to visit Berlin instead of Munich, because there is the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, Hitler's Bunker, etc in Berlin to see, that sound more interesting than Munich.
Therefore, my route could be IAD => AMS (by train) => Bruges (by train) => AMS (fly) => Berlin => IAD.
Itinerary: AMS for 3 days, Bruges 1 day, Berlin 3 days
Alternatively, my route could be IAD => AMS (by train) => Bruges (by train) => Brussels (fly) => Berlin => IAD
Alternative itinerary: AMS for 3 days, Bruges & Brussels 2 days, Berlin 3 days
I plan to book open jaw tickets from IAD to AMS & Berlin to IAD. After that, take time to decide where to go after Bruges (AMS or Brussels).
I hope this is a good plan!
Last edited by LoveAlbuquerque; 06-09-2018 at 08:45 PM..
To be clear, open jaw is different from a multi-city ticket. Open jaw is just out and return, where you return from a different airport/city. Multi-city is what it sounds like.
Though open jaw tickets are a subset of multi-city tickets and many common airfare search engines require you to use the multi-city search option to find open jaw routings
The multi-city search seems the way to go. I use IAD to AMS, AMS to Berlin, and Berlin to IAD, the lowest fare is a little over $1k, only $100+ more than the fare for a one-way ticket from IAD to AMS, or from Berlin to IAD. The savings are impressive.
If I use Aer Lingus, it would cost more than $1200 in total, which is fine. However, the downside is more than 7 hours of flight time from AMS to Berlin, because it goes west to Dublin before heading east to Berlin. Perhaps I can drop the second leg (AMS to Berlin) from my multi-city search, and book it separately, if I decide to go with Aer Lingus
The multi-city search seems the way to go. I use IAD to AMS, AMS to Berlin, and Berlin to IAD, the lowest fare is a little over $1k, only $100+ more than the fare for a one-way ticket from IAD to AMS, or from Berlin to IAD. The savings are impressive.
If I use Aer Lingus, it would cost more than $1200 in total, which is fine. However, the downside is more than 7 hours of flight time from AMS to Berlin, because it goes west to Dublin before heading east to Berlin. Perhaps I can drop the second leg (AMS to Berlin) from my multi-city search, and book it separately, if I decide to go with Aer Lingus
The cost of a one-way transatlantic ticket is completely irrelevant for what you want to do, they’re almost always as expensive as a round-trip ticket on legacy airlines. What you want to do is compare the cost of a multi-city ticket that would include all your stops like you dedcribed, and an open-jaw ticket + a separate ticket on Easyjet or similar that would cover Amsterdam-Berlin. That said Berlin is harder to include than Munich since you’re leaving from IAD and both IAD and MUC are Star Alliance hubs.
I don’t know your dates but for mock dates in August, a nonstop IAD-AMS on United with a return TXL-ZRH-IAD is 900$, then AMS-SXF on Easyjet for 100$. On your dates that may or may not be cheaper than a multi-city ticket. Personally I’d rather shoot for at least one nonstop flight given your short vacation time, doesn’t make much sense to me to transfer is Dublin unless you have to.
The cost of a one-way transatlantic ticket is completely irrelevant for what you want to do, they’re almost always as expensive as a round-trip ticket on legacy airlines. What you want to do is compare the cost of a multi-city ticket that would include all your stops like you dedcribed, and an open-jaw ticket + a separate ticket on Easyjet or similar that would cover Amsterdam-Berlin. That said Berlin is harder to include than Munich since you’re leaving from IAD and both IAD and MUC are Star Alliance hubs.
I don’t know your dates but for mock dates in August, a nonstop IAD-AMS on United with a return TXL-ZRH-IAD is 900$, then AMS-SXF on Easyjet for 100$. On your dates that may or may not be cheaper than a multi-city ticket. Personally I’d rather shoot for at least one nonstop flight given your short vacation time, doesn’t make much sense to me to transfer is Dublin unless you have to.
I've found it not easy to find a non-stop flight across the pond, since most airlines get to their home country for a stopover.
I want to have a layover at Dublin airport on my way back, because Baileys liquor-filled chocolates are on sale at the airport. The so-called Bailey chocolates you get from Amazon don't taste the same. However, I may have to skip Dublin if the cost outweighs benefit.
If the OP wants to save money, there is a Bus Company FliXBUS in Europe. Amsterdam to Munich is around 35 Dollars and overnight bus journey. I think they are owned by Megabus but from towncenter to towncenter and overnight bus journeys, they are cheap options. Amsterdam to Berlin should take 11 hours I think and around 30 dollars.
If the OP wants to save money, there is a Bus Company FliXBUS in Europe. Amsterdam to Munich is around 35 Dollars and overnight bus journey. I think they are owned by Megabus but from towncenter to towncenter and overnight bus journeys, they are cheap options. Amsterdam to Berlin should take 11 hours I think and around 30 dollars.
Although I'd like to save money if possible, time saving is more important for such a trip. Traveling overnight by bus is exhausting and may impact my energy level for the next day. I'll fly from AMS to Berlin.
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